The Government is set to deliver 1.5 million new homes over the next parliament. As more new homes are being built, demand for period properties across the UK is up an average of 60%, and searches for new builds are down -47%.
Research from cash house buyers, Sell House Fast, has delved into the data to settle the debate – do people want new builds or period properties? And what is available?
Top 10 Cities With Highest % of Available Period Properties (Vs New Builds)
(Data collected and analysed from Zoopla, 17th March 2026, ranked by % of period properties)
| Rank | City | All Properties | Period Properties | New Builds | % Period Properties | % New Builds |
| 1 | Bristol | 1688 | 410 | 66 | 24.29% | 3.91% |
| 2 | London | 76159 | 11566 | 1308 | 15.19% | 1.72% |
| 3 | Edinburgh | 1155 | 172 | 31 | 14.89% | 2.68% |
| 4 | Reading | 712 | 98 | 32 | 13.76% | 4.49% |
| 5 | Bradford | 1037 | 81 | 15 | 7.81% | 1.45% |
| 6 | Cardiff | 1436 | 112 | 48 | 7.80% | 3.34% |
| 7 | Nottingham | 4125 | 266 | 158 | 6.45% | 3.83% |
| 8 | Kingston upon Hull | 1200 | 76 | 36 | 6.33% | 3.00% |
| 9 | Sheffield | 1869 | 115 | 27 | 6.15% | 1.44% |
| 10 | Aberdeen | 409 | 25 | 23 | 6.11% | 5.62% |
The search interest highlights:
- Across searches for Edwardian, Victorian, Georgian and Elizabethan houses for sale, the average three-month increase is +60%, and YoY +30%. Whereas, searches for ‘buy new build’ have seen a -64% decrease YoY and ‘new build property for sale’ is also down –47%.
- Searches for ‘Edwardian house for sale near me’ are up +67% in the last 3 months, as well as YoY. ‘Victorian house for sale near me’ searches are also up +29% YoY, but in the last few months, we have seen little to no change.
- Elizabethan properties have seen the most recent highest spike in searches, with +150% increase in the last 3 months for ‘Elizabethan house for sale’. Georgian houses have seen a more humble + 23% increase.
The full data also shows:
- The UK city with the highest % of new builds available is Manchester, with 12.46% of available properties right now being newly built. This is compared to just 3.46% period properties. To put this into perspective, that’s 1 in 7 available properties. Leicester is on the lowest end, with not even 1% of available properties being new builds.
- Bristol has the highest % of available period properties, with just over 24% of current properties for sale being of historical nature. Thats just under a quarter. This is compared to just 3.91% of new builds. Newcastle is at the other end as the city with the lowest % of period properties available.
- London surprisingly has a high % of period properties with 15.9% of period vs just 1.72% of new builds. It sits in #2 position for the highest percentage of period properties across the top 10 populated cities.
Jack Malnick, Managing Director and founder of Sell House Fast, has commented:
“Whilst there are plans to continue building more new build homes, especially at a so-called affordable level, it’s also important to remember there is still appetite for period properties. Even as supply increases, demand may continue to overtake availability for historic homes, and could potentially drive prices up.
There has always been an interest in more historical homes, but it could be that, as we see so constant new build construction, perhaps people want timeless character.
There are many benefits to both a historical property and a new build. Some prefer period properties for their character and often the space. Unlike new builds, you often get that historical charm with it, whether this be an original fireplace or a high ceiling. They often come with much more land, too and potential for value-adding renovations. However, new builds can offer already built-in features desired by many, for example, they are much more energy-efficient and most of the time ready to move in. Period homes may require significant investment, such as rewiring, structural upkeep and insulation.”
